Monday, 22 June 2009

The BAMF assembly begins!

1) Rebuild my old race bike (Aprilia RSV SP) that I did the Manx on in 2006 into a Badd-Ass-Mutha-Fucka of a bike (Codename: BAMF). More horsepower, less weight.

2) Go fast

I tore the old beast apart in November 2008. Packed her inboxes and went about getting the frame repaired and the motor overhauled (the gerabox was worn... 8500 miles having the crap ridden into it does that...).

The frame was ripped open at the headstock after a big off at Cadwell in October 2007. Being an SP, only 150 frames were ever made. This I thought would be a problem, but alas... Goeff the welding/fabrication god came to the rescue and did a brillaint job of repairing the headstock. It is now stronger, lighter and still retains the trick adjustability (yes, the SP is a trick machine!).

The motor is another story. Eventhough some parts are the same as an RSV (like the gearbox), lots of parts aren't. Aprilia are the most unhelpful of manufacturers and are only interested in selling scooters. The parts are frikkin' expensive... if I could get them. So, after being stripped down in December, I am hoping to have the assemblyfinally complete and to pick it up this week. It has been an absolute nightmare and have no idea if it'll run until I've built the rest of the bike.

I got the wire pulled out of my wrist on Friday and this weekend was the first time since breaking my wrist and surgery that I've been able to use my hand. So... I've got to work preparing as much as I can without the motor.

Things still to do:

- Fit motor

- Fit other bits

- Build custom wiring loom

- Build custom front and rear subframes

- Get the beast started

- Fit 57mm throttle bodies

- Get custom exhaust link pipe built

- Get PCIII fitted and dyno tuned

- Fit custom body-work

- Get it painted

- Test

There are probably otehr things I've forgotten, but it needs to all be done in 8 weeks!

Do-able? We'll see.

Breaking my wrist hasn't helped, but there isn't much I can do without the motor anyway (the frame was finished nearly 3 months ago). Really frustrated at how long it has taken and that I have to call every second day to get any work done on it. This is why I don't like relying on other people - too many of them let you down and drop you in the shit.